- ireland -

This Farming Life - The Farmer, the Kitchen and the Big Harvest Menu

The Farmer, the Kitchen and the Big Harvest Menu

In the spring time, when farmers begin to sow vegetable seeds, they are thinking about the harvest ahead. Throughout the spring the plants are nurtured and, during the summer, the vegetable patch has to be safeguarded from weeds and pests. It’s hard work but we look forward to our produce. The end game is to produce healthy, tasty vegetables for the autumn harvest.

I am delighted to produce organic vegetables for the annual Big Harvest Menu at The Strawberry Tree at BrookLodge. Evan Doyle, owner of BrookLodge, has a deep appreciation for food and for the farm. This is the reason that, as a very small scale producer, my organic swedes, cooking apples, cucumbers and green onions were included on this year’s menu.

This is also the reason that I was invited, alongside 13 other farmer suppliers, to attend the delicious first night’s tasting menu. I had a great evening chatting with farmers who produce delicious, successful brands such as St Tola, Kilbeggan, and Ballybrado. The farmers who produce these do so with a lot of hard work, honesty and passion.

I’m not sure what my favourite part of the menu was but the 90 minute cheese, a joint venture between Mossfield and the kitchen staff, was delicious and exciting. My husband, Peter is still raving about the marinated duck breast, served with courgette flower tempura with swede and apple syrup. Regan’s farm supplied the duck, Healy’s the courgette, the syrup was from Highbank and the swede was ours.

The Strawberry Tree restaurant at Brooklodge is Ireland’s only certified organic restaurant. The head chef, Tim Daly, and his crew work very closely with Irish organic suppliers to ensure that what is in season and what is freshest and best is served to his customers.

This month at The Strawberry Tree it’s all about the farm. This special harvest menu will run for the month of September. If you really do appreciate seasonal Irish organic food with provenance, make a point of trying the menu for yourself!

The ‘Big Harvest’ Farm Menu 2013 is a 7 Course Tasting Menu offered in The Strawberry Tree Restaurant daily, from September 3rd until October 6th at 7pm, 8pm & 9pm. For further information, log onto www.brooklodge.com

THE BIG HARVEST MENU

Organic Harvest to The Strawberry Tree is daily. Through our Kitchen door every morning, fifty-two weeks a year, our Farmers bring what they have harvested, and it is only then that our menu is decided.

However, the ‘Big Harvest’ only arrives once a year when our menu bursts with all this wonderful produce for all too brief cameo appearances. This year Nature has decide, as Nature does, that The Big Harvest Menu will commence in September (last year it was late October!) where we give full homage to our Farmers, with a Special Tasting Menu dedicated totally to the Farm

Here are the Farms that are contributing to each course. Harvest like this, needs little work in The Kitchen, just respect. We hope you enjoy!

IRELAND GUIDE IPHONE APP V2.0

Quickly and easily find all the very best places to eat, drink & stay across the island of Ireland with the cool new Georgina Campbell's Ireland Guide iPhone Application (v 2.0 now available FREE with optional subscription elements that have a 30 day no-obligation free trial).

BlackBerry App

Blackberry mobile phone owners can quickly and easily find all the very best places to eat, drink & stay across the island of Ireland with the cool new Georgina Campbell's Ireland Guide Blackberry Application - have access to the most highly respected, trusted & critically acclaimed independent guide to Irish hospitality whenever you want, wherever you are!

Samsung App

Quickly and easily find all the very best places to eat, drink & stay across the island of Ireland with the cool new Georgina Campbell's Ireland Guide Samsung Bada Application - have access to the most highly respected, trusted & critically acclaimed independent guide to Irish hospitality whenever you want, wherever you are!